South Sulawesi — Ancestors, Seafarers & Southern Shores

Meet your private guide at Makassar Airport or your city hotel. Explore Rammang-Rammang by traditional wooden boat, passing limestone towers, rice fields and rural settlements. Continue north through Parepare, pausing at Bambapuang for mountain views before reaching Toraja. Settle into Santai Toraja Hotel, your base for three nights.

Begin at Buntu Burake, where the Christ statue overlooks the highlands. Discover Lemo’s cliff graves and tau tau effigies, then explore the burial caves of Londa. At Kete Kesu, tongkonan houses, rice barns and woodcarving traditions offer insight into the family ties and ancestral beliefs that shape Torajan life.

Set out for Lolai at dawn, with views across the valleys when weather allows. Visit the standing stones of Bori Kalimbuang before continuing to Batutumonga on the slopes of Mount Sesean. An easy walk follows rice terraces and village paths. Discover the boulder tombs of Loko Mata before returning to your hotel.

Walk through rice terraces, villages and forested hills towards Limbong, gaining a closer view of Toraja’s rural life. Carry a light overnight bag while your team handles the main luggage. Settle into a traditional tongkonan house, with time to meet your hosts and enjoy dinner in the village.

Continue on foot through farming communities, rice fields and forest paths, learning about local agriculture and village architecture along the way. Meet your private vehicle for the return to Rantepao and settle into Toraja Misiliana Hotel, with time to rest following your two days of walking.

Leave Toraja’s highlands, pausing at Bambapuang before continuing to Sengkang. Explore Lake Tempe by traditional motorised boat, observing floating homes, fishing platforms and daily life on the water. Your guide explains how communities adapt to the lake’s changing levels. Return to Sengkang for the night.

Visit a silk-weaving workshop in Sengkang to discover the looms, patterns and skills behind Bugis textiles. Continue towards Bira, stopping at a boatbuilding village to learn about phinisi construction and the maritime traditions of Bugis and Konjo communities. Settle into Amatoa Resort for two nights by the coast.

Explore Kambing Island and Liukang Loe by private local boat, with the route and snorkelling sites selected for the day’s sea conditions and your experience. Discover coral habitats with your guide, then enjoy lunch and time to relax on Liukang Loe before returning to Bira.

Pause at Bissappu Waterfall, surrounded by tropical vegetation, before continuing through South Sulawesi’s towns and agricultural landscapes. Arrive in Makassar and settle into Meliá Makassar, with time to rest before your final dinner.

Transfer privately to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport for your onward flight.